Chapter 19: You

After agreeing to meet for another meal next time, the two families parted ways at the intersection beside the hotpot restaurant.

“Xu Qingzhou’s family is quite nice.”

“Yes, Old Xu is a decent man, which is why he’s stayed in the frontline all these years without getting promoted,” Song Shisong said.

Zhang Junli asked Song Yao: “Xu Qingzhou is a good kid—so young, yet so composed. Xiao Yao, why have you never mentioned him before?”

“We’re not close. We never even spoke before,” Song Yao said.

“You’re classmates, and you’re both applying to the same university—how can you not be close? When you get to college, thousands of miles away in a strange place, even enemies will feel like family.”

Saying this, Zhang Junli nudged Song Shisong, who had fallen into thought, with her elbow. “Old Song, are you drunk? I told you to drink less.”

What he found curious now was how someone could hear only the middle sentence of a conversation and filter out both the preceding and following ones entirely.

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A bunch of lunatics, Xu Qingzhou thought, baffled, and returned to his seat.

“Still pretending,” Guo Zi sneered, realizing he’d spoken too loudly; he pulled his chair slightly closer to Xu Qingzhou and whispered, “You’ve already met each other’s parents—why hide it from your buddies?”

After the second mock exam, the atmosphere of the college entrance exam became visibly thick throughout the school.

In class, everyone who had been reciting suddenly turned their attention here; the previously noisy classroom fell silent, all stunned by the news just heard.

“Sure enough, life always requires early planning.”

In truth, unless you’re extremely close, even high school classmates rarely stay in touch after entering university.

Xu Qingzhou frowned, realizing Guo Zi wasn’t acting right: “I went to bed early last night, didn’t check my phone—but what the hell is ‘abandoning friends for a girl’?”

Song Yao remained as she always was—cool and detached—reading an English composition.

At the classroom door, classmates in the midst of morning self-study all stared at Xu Qingzhou; their strange glances were even weirder than when he ranked first a few days ago.

Outside every classroom, motivational banners had been hung.

“If you both apply to Jingda, you’ll be college classmates—what’s wrong with being friendly?” Wang Xiaping shot Xu Qingzhou a glare, thinking: Isn’t this all for your sake? Such a great girl—close at hand, better make a good first impression.

“Jiang Yimou asked me last night—wanted to know how far you and Song Yao have gone. It’s all over class now! I even saw a photo of you, Song Yao, your parents, and her parents eating together!”

According to Chengnan High School rules, weekends were for remedial classes, so no uniforms—everyone wore their own clothes, making the school gate look colorful and chaotic.

“Mom, aren’t you being a bit too enthusiastic? Anyone watching would think you and I are on a blind date.” Xu Qingzhou complained.

Xu Shouyun wouldn’t fall for it. He lectured: “Whatever your mother says, you listen. It’s all for your own good.”

Xu Qingzhou suddenly felt like his life had been hijacked by dogs. Why had he never noticed how boring high schoolers could be?

After shouting, Wan Xi saw everyone’s eyes turn toward them and realized she’d overreacted; she quickly waved her hands. “Sorry, sorry! I didn’t mean to eavesdrop on your secret!”

Xu Qingzhou sighed, looking seriously at Guo Zi. “Fatty, I’m telling you—everything’s rumor. Me and Song Yao have zero relationship. You believe me, right?”

“Dad, you should say something—Mom’s teaching me to date!” Xu Qingzhou redirected the blame toward Xu Shouyun.

Song Yao opened her mouth to protest, but after thinking it over, it did seem to match what her father had said.

Sunday. Eyes kept sweeping over him.

“You never say anything good,” Zhang Junli glared at Song Shisong. “Our Xiao Yao is only seventeen—what are you even thinking about?”

At that moment, Wan Xi, biting into a bun, stared wide-eyed at Xu Qingzhou, as if she’d just overheard some earth-shattering secret.

Zhang Yuquan’s expression—anyone unaware would think he’d just dug up his ancestors’ grave. And Ding Jiahui, too, propped her chin on her hand, smiling sweetly at him.

!.

Xu Qingzhou forced a smile worse than crying. Just stop explaining, please.

“Two families!” Song Shisong snapped his fingers, finally remembering. “This scene—it’s just like two sets of parents accompanying a young couple to dinner.”

“Bro, I’m genuinely happy for you—that’s Song Yaohua, the school goddess everyone worships, and you actually pulled her off!” Guo Zi sighed dramatically.

“Yes, yes, yes,” Xu Qingzhou agreed.

“I’m still a lonely dog, while others are already planning their weddings.”

He felt a headache coming. “Where’d you hear this?”

Xu Qingzhou froze for a moment, then quickly realized Guo Zi was referring to last night’s dinner.

Two minutes later, Guo Zi rushed into the classroom, panting, tossed his bag down, and slumped into his seat with a sigh. “Bro, I sent you so many messages last night—and you didn’t reply to a single one. Sure enough, you abandoned your friend for a girl.”

“Holy crap, they’re getting married right after graduation!”

“Strange? Song Shisong, don’t bring your work attitude home. Two families eating together—what’s odd about that?” Zhang Junli warned.

Xu Qingzhou: “.”

Showered, watched TV with his parents—the whole night passed like that.

“What? You’re getting married right after college?” came a startled cry from ahead.

Guo Zi nodded firmly, voice sincere: “Bro, I believe you—even if you told me you and Song Yao are getting married the moment you graduate, I’d believe you.”

“Ow, Mom, that hurts! I’m not a kid anymore—why are you still pulling my ear?!”

“This is nothing,” Song Shisong frowned, deep in thought. “Don’t you find today’s dinner scene… strangely odd?”

By the time Xu Qingzhou and the others got home, it was nearly ten.

“Just… take the initiative. Don’t be a silent idiot.”

“Brat, who taught you to date? I told you to make friends!”

Another student who’d just heard the news spotted a problem: “Wait, if they’ve already met parents, that means they’ve been dating all along? Then what about Zhang Yuxin?”

“I heard Xu Qingzhou and Song Yao broke up after a fight—he’s now chasing Zhang Yuxin.”

“No, it’s that Xu Qingzhou is playing both sides—he’s already with Song Yao, but keeps messing around with Zhang Yuxin. They’re breaking up, and today’s family dinner was meant to mediate.”

“What a mess~”

(End of Chapter)